| It's true that mother knows best, but a
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| | around the foal's sides. You want to
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| little human help doesn't hurt either.
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| | preserve sensitivity to the rider's cues
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| Since Dr. Robert Miller introduced foal
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| | in that area! However, you do want them
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| imprinting about 20 years ago, breeders,
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| | to understand that they should move away
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| trainers, and owners have embraced this
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| | from pressure. You can do this by tapping
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| hands-on approach credited with producing
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| | them until they move. When they finally
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| more manageable, more trusting, and
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| | do move, stop tapping. By teaching the
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| easier to train horses.
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| | foal the concept of moving away from
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| What exactly is foal imprinting? In a
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| | pressure early on, saddle training will
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| nutshell, it is desensitizing the foal to
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| | be a breeze later on down the road!
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| human interaction immediately upon birth.
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| | Imprinting is also a great way to get
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| During imprinting the foal is handled by
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| | your foal ready for a lifetime of easy
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| humans before its fight-or-flight
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| | farriery. What's the best way to do this?
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| instinct kicks in. There are two goals
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| | Pick up and handle each foot. Be sure to
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| with imprinting: to train a horse to have
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| | lightly tap the hoof and sole with a
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| little or no resistance to veterinary,
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| | pick. By doing this, you'll prepare the
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| farrier, and training procedures; and to
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| | foal for foot handling, hoof picking, and
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| establish a human dominance in the young
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| | other aspects of hoof care it will
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| foal's life, leading to a more willing
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| | encounter during its adult life.
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| and trainable adult horse.
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| | To help the foal accept things like
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| What does foal imprinting consist of?
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| | accepting the bit, veterinary procedures,
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| Immediately following birth, a handler
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| | teeth floating, and deworming, make sure
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| gently probes the baby's gums, teeth,
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| | you pay attention to the baby's mouth
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| ears, mouth, nose, and rectum. He or she
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| | during the imprinting process. Put your
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| handles the foal's feet, applies gentle
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| | fingers in both the mouth and the nose,
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| pressure to the sides and back, and
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| | being sure to feel around the gums and
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| introduces it to distracting sounds like
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| | pull the lips back. Desensitizing the
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| the vibration of clippers, the sounds of
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| | mouth will ensure that you foal remains a
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| crinkling paper, and flapping plastic.
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| | model patient-one that your vet and
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| The goal is to get the foal to experience
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| | dentist enjoy working with-through
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| sensations it will experience throughout
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| | adulthood.
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| its life, and accept them at the earliest
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| | During imprinting, make sure you only
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| stage.
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| | touch one part of the body at a time.
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| When is the right time to begin imprint
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| | Continue to touch that part of the body
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| training. Most people begin to imprint
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| | until the foal accepts what you are
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| train their foal about one hour after
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| | doing. Never quit while the foal is
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| birth, right after the foal has stood and
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| | resisting! To do so only teaches the
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| nursed. Begin by touching the horse's
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| | horse that resistance leads to you
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| body very gently, all over. This will
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| | stopping. And that's not a lesson you
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| help the foal learn that he can be
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| | want any horse to learn!
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| touched anywhere and it won't hurt. And
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| | Initial imprinting takes about an hour.
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| best of all, this is a lesson the horse
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| | Over the next 12 hours, do two more five-
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| will carry with him throughout his life!
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| | or 10-minute imprinting sessions. A
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| Foals who have been touched in this
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| | 10-minute session done once or twice a
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| manner shortly after birth learn not to
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| | day thereafter will ensure your horse
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| move into or jump away from pressure on
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| | stays up to speed.
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| their bodies.
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| | By introducing your young foal to varied
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| One thing that is very important to note.
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| | stimuli, you can instill a lifetime of
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| Take care not to desensitize the area
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| | trust and willingness!
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